Garment hanger



June 4, 1935.

B. F. VAVRUSKA I GARMENT HANGER Filed Oct. 29, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventm' a5. ffiy/"as/ra Attorney June 4, 1935. B, F, VAVRU KA 2,003,763

GARMENT HANGER L QMMML Attomey Patented June 4, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC v A GARMENT HANGER Bartlett 'F. Vavruska, Prairie on Chien, Wis. Application October 29, 1934, Serial-No.f75(h573 6 Claims. ((lli223 64) This invention relates to an improved. garment hanger and has more particular reference to the so-called combination type, that is the form of-hanger'which' embodies the convention- '15 allyshaped arcuate coathanger equipped with a. trouser clamp; o

1 By way of comparison with prior marketed'and similar prior, art structures it will be observed from the accompanying drawings and descriptive matterthat novelty is'predicated in one instance on the particular construction of the longitudinally extensible and contractible coat hanger provided with'a special swivelly mounted suspension hook located to provide the requisite balance and adaptatiorrwhenextended from its compact retraoted position to its elongated or full operating position. 7 7

Of equal importance in the structural arrangement is the especially constructed trousers hanger characterized by a backing plate, a spring opened pivotally mounted clamping member carried thereby, and a .pair of duplicate adaptersmechanically fashioned and co-related' with respect to the. other parts to serve as a means for'securely holding the clamping member in trousers clamping, position, or allowing it to be expeditiouslyswung to open position for reception-of thecuif portions of the trousers.

Other structuralfeatures and accompanying advantages will become. more readily. apparent from the following description and drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of, the complete structure showing the trousers clamp closed 35 and the garment or coat hanger extended to its customary functioning position. ,I 1

Figure 2 is a top plan or edge view of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 observing the opposite side thereof and showing the com- 40 panion sections of the coat hanger contracted into folded or compact positions.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional and elevational view showing one of the adapters as swung to a releasing position and also showing the trou- 45 sers clamping unit swung to its open trousers insertion position.

'I'he coat hanger per 'se is represented as a unit by the numeral 5 whereas the complemental trousers; hanger is difierentiated, as a unitary 50 structure, by the numeral 6. Considering then the coat hanger 5 it is preferably of light weight metaland' comprises a pair of duplicate arcuate .meta1;strips I and 8 disposed in overlapping slid able relation and having their inner adjacent 5 endstelescopically connected together in any suitable manner ;,as; indicated; for example;- at ,9. The-outer end portions :are formed with elongated adjusting slotslfl slidably connected with the headed upper ends H of rod members 'lzflwhich maybe; convenientlyrdenoted as postsorpins. 5 The lower. endsoftheseare reduced as indicated at E3 and function as journals in-a, mannerto be hereinafter described. arrangement allows the sections 1 and 8. to be slid oneach otherwhich makes it possible to either contract the coat hang- 10 er ;in the mannershownin; Figure 3 or extend it to the operating position shown in Figures 1 and 2. As seen:in Figure 3 .the'numeral Mdesignates the-pivotedjclip. with which the shank of the suspension hookv -715 swivelly connected. This 15 makes the ghook substantially self .-levelling and by attaching theiclip l4-=to one, end'portion of v the section'l; for-example; it-isobvious that when the sections are, extended to the full length position shown in; Figuresl and;2 this disposes the suspension: hook in: the. propercentralized position to be hung on aicloset hook, nailor the: like.

- Consideri-ng now indetail the construction of the trousers hanger Gas a unit, I call attention firstto the main orrelatively stationary plate I 5 which maybe distinguishedas-abacking plate. Thisisrof general rectangular form and provided adjacent its opposite ends with pairs of out struck tongues H and I8 which function as ears and :with which complemental ears [9- are pivotally connected through the instrumentality of a pivotingandconnecting pin 20. The-ears l9 are bent laterally from'the plate, like end members 2| on the opposite ends ofqthe somewhat flexible and relativelyf movable clamping strap 22. Or stated: otherwise, thisstrap 22 which cooperates withrthe,backingplate-is providedat its ends with attaching members 2| which are in turn provided with ears' l9 pivotally attached to the ears I! and I8, by. way: of the pinsJO. This; provides the'desired swingable .orpivotal connection between the parts 16 and 22 allowing them to function as a clamp between which the cuff portions of the trousers may be clamped in a well known manner. Itwill be noted that at one end there isa coiled spring-23 and this surrounds the pin at the right of. Figures 1 and 2 and is so arranged as to press or exert anoutward pressure on the adjacent member 2i and .to thereby swing the clamping upper end portions of the end members 2| of the strap serve as stops as indicated at 24. Moreover these upper end portions are provided with flat holding springs 25. The tension of the springs may be regulated by set screws 26. These springs are adapted for cooperation with the cam like edges 21 on the latch fingers 28 carried by the wing like adapters 29. The adapters are more in the nature of flaps or wings and are provided with flanges 30whose inner end portions straddle and are pivotally connected to the aforesaid pintles I3. As a matter of fact, the end portions of the backing plate l6 are also provided with reinforcing flanges 3| and the pintles 13 ex-, tend through these flanges and also the flanges 39 providing the requisite swingable or pivotal connection between the adapters 2B and the backing plate. One of the adapters is shown in Figure 4 and it is swung to open position and when in this position it serves to disengage the latch 28 from the adjacent leaf spring 25 on the stop edge 24. Consequently, the spring 23 then comes into play automatically to force the clamping member 22 to its open position and this facilitates insertion of the cuff portions of the trousers. When the cuif portions are thus disposed between the parts 16 and 22 it is possible to catch hold of the adapter 29 at one end-and to swing it around from the position shown in Figure 4 to the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 and this cooperates with the adjacent spring 25 in providing a cam action to swing the part'22 closed against the tension of the coiled spring 23. The presence of the cam edge 2! and the spring 25 makes this cam action more eifective and smooth. Moreover, it allows the clamping member 22 to be mechanically forced to its clamping position. Otherwise, it would be inconvenient to place the cuff portions of the trousers between the two parts l6 and 22. It is desirable to provide two of these adapters 29 and it is obvious that theyare of duplicate construction and identically mounted, In a sense, these adapters serve as relatively wide handles for the latches 28. In other words, it is the latch 28 which is most important but by providing a relatively large plate like adapter 29 the latter part serves as a sort of handle or finger grip and makes it possible to actuate the parts with less trouble.

It is evident that novelty is attached to the special selection and coordination of the backing plate 16 having the end flanges 3| carrying the flanged adapters 29, these adapters having latch members or fingers and the flange portions of these parts being connected together by way of the journal pins [3, Added to this is the novelty of the complemental pivotally mounted clamping strap or plate 22 having the especially designed end portions 2| one of which is forced out by a spring 23 and both of which are provided with the retention springs 25 located to cooperate with the cam edges 21 of the latch fingers 28. This, it is believed, is an ingenious arrangement and is especially suited for the purposes intended.

Additional novelty is predicated on the idea of an extensible and retractible coat hanger, with the swivelly mounted suspension hook, having adjustable connections with the posts or pins I2 serving as means for joining the two parts 5 and 6 in operative relationship. Considering this arrangement as a composite structure it provides an unusual combination coat hanger and trousers hanger. Moreovergthe parts are so successfully coordinated as to make it possible to attach and detach the trousers with the least possible trouble. I hall not, however, delve into the commercial aspects of the invention since it is the particular construction and arrangement which forms the principal novelty distinguishing the structure in part and in whole from similar prior art and marketed devices.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings, Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in shape, size and rearrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a structural assemblage of the class described, in combination, a longitudinally bowed coat hanger comprising a pair of sections disposed in slidable overlapping relationship, a clip pivotally connected with one of said strips, a suspension hook swivelly connected with said clip, a trousers supporting and clamping unit, rod connections between said unit and the cornpanion sections of said coat hanger unit, said connections having slidable connection with'the hanger sections.

V 2. A structural assemblage of the class described comprising, in combination, a trousers supporting and clamping unit comprising a backing plate, a clamping member pivotally attached to said plate, retaining and releasing latch means pivotally attached to the end portions of. said backing plate and cooperable with the adjacent end portions of said clamping member, andspring means interposed between the backing plate and clampi'ngmember, said spring means serving to swing the clamping member to open trousers reception position when the'latch means is manually released. 7 V

i 3. In a structural assemblage of the class described comprising, in combination, a trousers supporting and clamping unit comprising .a backing plate, a clamping member pivotally attached to said plate, retaining and releasing latchmeans pivotally attached to the end portions of said backing plate and cooperable with the adjacent end portions of said clamping member, and spring means interposed between the backing plate and clamping member, said spring means serving to swing the clamping member to'open trousers reception position when the latch means is manually released, connecting pins associated with the end portions of said backing plate and having headed upper end portions, a coat hanger unit embodying slidably connecting sections and a suspension hook, said sections having slots slidably engageable with saidheaded end portions of the connecting pins.

4. In a structure of the class described, a trousers clamping and supporting unit comprising a backing plate, a complemental clamping member pivotally connected at its ends to said backing plate in a manner to allow the cuff portions of the trousers to be clamped between the backing plate and clamping member, spring means associated with said backing plate and clamping member for automatically swinging the clamping member to open position, operating members pivotally connected to the end portions of said backing plate and provided with latch fingers engageable with the adjacent end portions of said clamping member to hold the clamping member and to facilitate its closing.

5. In a structure of the class described, a-

backing plate, a clamping member pivotally attached at its end portions to said backing plate, spring means interposed between the backing plate and clamping member to swing the clamping member open, the ends of said clamping member being provided with stop elements having adjustable friction leaf springs, plate like adapters pivotally connected to the ends oi. said backing plate and provided with laterally directed latch fingers, said latch fingers having cam edges located for cooperating contacts with said leaf springs.

6. In a structure of the class described, a backing plate, a spring pressed pivotally mounted clamping member on said backing plate, wing like members pivotally connected to the ends of said backing plate provided with cam latches engageable with the adjacent end portions of said clamping member, and spring means interposed between the backing plate and clamping member in the manner and for the purposes described.

BARTLETT F. VAVRUSKA. 

